SOS to the Next President: Emergency Plan Needed to Protect Our Future

My name is Jaime-Lynn Butler. I just turned 12 in September. I am Dine' and live on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Climate change is a problem that is bad for my community and many others, and the next President needs to help come up with a plan to stop it.

Because of the drought and climate change, my house no longer has running water, and I had to sell my horse, William, because it was too hard to get water for him. My family had to move away from our reservation. I am sad I am not 18 because I would help stop climate change by voting.

Last year I wrote to President Obama to help save the arctic, because I am concerned about polar bears. I wrote to him to do something about the oil spills too. In January I wrote to the President about the video I had made (you can watch it above) about how climate change is affecting me and Arizona.

Some people don't think global warming is real. But it is. It is affecting me, my people, and lots of other kids everywhere. Climate scientists say that people are making it worse, and there are things we can do differently to help stop it. It's hard to live without water here in Arizona because it is so hot. Global warming is making it worse for the things I care about, like animals, rivers, and water to drink. I think our leaders need to do everything they can to take care of our planet for our future. On behalf of my generation, we need the next President to engage with us at a meeting in Washington, D.C. to come up with a plan to save our planet.

If you agree with Jaime, please join the growing list of diverse leaders and individuals from across the nation– including farmers, people of faith and color, scientists, young people, environmentalists, actors, and government leaders -- who have signed the petition developed by the Climate Summit 2013 Coalition. Go to Climate Summit 2013 for information on a proposed Summit.

Letter to

President Obama and Mitt Romney

I just signed the following petition addressed to: President Obama and Mitt Romney.

----------------Jaime, on behalf of the youngest generation, and all those who love them, call our next president to:

1. Publicly acknowledge the climate crisis; and2. Engage with Jaime and others at a Climate Emergency Summit within their first 100 days in office to help craft an emergency climate action plan.

Our futures are at stake and we need solutions NOW that scientists say are needed and possible.